


Helpless

by Howlingdawn



Series: Whumptober 2020 [4]
Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Some Humor, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:39:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26824528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Howlingdawn/pseuds/Howlingdawn
Summary: Judd hates being helpless. Particularly when the person he can't help is severely wounded.(Whumptober Day Four - Collapsed Building)
Relationships: Judd Ryder & TK Strand
Series: Whumptober 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949191
Comments: 8
Kudos: 77
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	Helpless

**Author's Note:**

> Another Whumptober ficlet I hope to continue at a later date, bc I've had this idea in my head for MONTHS and I need more Judd & TK in my life

Judd shook his hands out, glaring down the pile of rubble between them and freedom. After digging out smaller chunks and pushing at the bigger ones for the better part of an hour, he was no closer to breaking out, and with both of the radios broken in the collapse, there was no way to communicate to the crew where they were.

_I am not letting some damn collapsed building defeat me._

He threw himself back at the wall, jamming his bruised and aching shoulder into it. Digging his heels in, he flattened his hand against it and _shoved_ , pouring every ounce of weight and strength into it that he could muster, pushing until his groan of effort grew into a scream.

He stopped only when he lost his footing, his feet slipping out from under him, nearly sending him crashing to the floor. “Damn it!” he yelled, giving the unyielding rubble a vicious hit that really only ended up hurting his palm.

A feeble cough caught his attention. “Judd?”

Relieved, Judd hurried to take the few steps to TK’s side, kneeling beside him and guiding him back down when he tried to sit up. “Welcome back, sleeping beauty.”

TK didn’t resist, dropping back down with a groan, one fumbling hand finding the hastily bandaged gash in his side. “What happened?”

“The building knocked you out,” Judd answered. “How’s your head?”

TK looked up as if he could see the cut slicing across his forehead. “Ow.”

“Sounds about right,” Judd said, checking him over again now that he was conscious. “What’s the date?”

“Does anyone know these days?”

“TK.”

“October fourth of the worst year in history.”

“Better,” Judd allowed.

TK let out another groan, wrapping an arm around his stomach. “It’s not good, is it?” he asked quietly.

Judd hesitated, all sense of joking falling away in an instant. “No,” he answered, just as quietly.

“Broken ribs? Internal bleeding?”

“Yeah.”

TK nodded, swallowing visibly. “We’ve… we’ve gotten out of worse. Dad’ll come for us.”

Judd wanted to scream again. He wanted to throw himself back at that damn wall. He wanted to go back in time and shove TK out of danger. He wanted to do something, _anything_ , to get TK out of this mess, to get him to that fancy date with Carlos he hadn’t stopped talking about all week.

But he was helpless. All he could do was sit, wait, and hope he didn’t have to watch another of his brothers die.

So he sat, resting his hand on TK’s arm. “Yup,” he forced himself to agree. “He’ll be here before you know it.”

The look TK shot him clearly said he knew Judd was lying through his teeth.

He scooted a little closer anyway.


End file.
